All Better
by E. Clay
Summary: Sam tries to be nice. John gets mad. It's Dean to the rescue. That's about it in a nutshell.


Title: All Better

Rating: K+

Genre: Angst, brotherly fluff, and lots of dialogue. That about sums it up.

Timeline: The boys are boys in this one.

Summary: Sam tries to be nice. John gets mad. It's Dean to the rescue. That's it in a nutshell.

Disclaimer: The entire Supernatural Universe and its characters; John, Sam, and Dean Winchester do not belong to me. I wrote this story entirely for fun and am making no profit off it whatsoever.

An eight-year-old Sam Winchester smiled at the motel room in front of him. He took a look at his watch. It was still early. He was sure that his brother and father were still sleeping. He had wanted this to be a surprise and it looked as though he would get his way. He looked at the bag he held carefully in his hand. He fumbled for the extra key to the room and stuck it in the door. The door flew open and his father pulled him into the room.

"Sammy? Where were you?" His father asked. "Are you all right? What happened?" John grabbed his son and started inspecting him for damage. He turned him around and ran his hand through his hair to look for any hidden cuts or bumps.

"I'm ok dad. I just went to the store." Sam said proudly.

"Who took you?" John demanded.

"No one. I walked." Sam said about to put the brown grocery bag on the table.

"What do you mean you walked?" John grabbed Sam again, this time more roughly causing Sam to drop his bag.

"Dad no." Sam cried reaching down for the bag but John pulled him up.

"You walked by yourself."

"Yes." Sam answered heading for the bag again.

"That store is a few miles up the road. You know better than taking off without telling anyone." John shook him roughly. "What the hell were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed. " He smacked Sam on the behind causing the boy to scream out in anger. He dragged Sam to one of the beds in the room, and put him across his lap.

"Dad please don't." Dean pleaded walking towards his father. He shook his head at the man. The look on his oldest son's face made John feel bad for what he was doing. He momentarily released the tight hold he had on Sam. It was all the time Sam needed. He leaped off his father's lap and ran into the bathroom locking the door behind him.

"Sam." John hissed running to the door. "Unlock this door."

"No." Sam screamed.

"I mean it."

"No." Sam said again more forcefully.

Dean shook his head at his father and little brother's behavior. He figured that at least for the moment the both of them would be fine. He walked to the brown paper bag on the floor, wondering what was so important for Sam to get that he couldn't ask their dad for. Dean looked into the bag and smiled.

"He brought me a cake." Dean exclaimed excitedly pulling out what was left of the cake, as most of it was stuck to the bag now.

"What the hell do you need a cake for?" John snapped. He turned to the bathroom door again and pounded on it. "Open this door Sammy or I'll blow off the lock."

"Leave me alone." Sam answered back

"Damn it Sam. I'm not messing around."

"Neither am I." Sam screamed.

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me."

John took a deep breath and turned to his other son. "Dean find me something to pick this lock with." Dean carefully put what was left of the cake on the table. He walked slowly through the room in a half-hearted attempt to follow his father's orders. "What the hell is wrong with you?" John asked, noticing his son's sluggish movements.

"Nothing." Dean said bravely but he couldn't help the tear that slid slowly down his face.

"Look Dean if you're worried about Sam don't be. He won't be sitting comfortably for a bit, but he'll be fine. He needs to know that he can't just take off whenever he wants."

"I know."

"What is it then?"

"Nothing." Dean answered looking at the cake longingly. John noticed it this time and it hit him like a baseball to the face.

"Ah Dean I'm sorry." He said. He walked towards his oldest son and put a hand on his shoulder. "Happy Birthday son."

"Thanks." Dean smiled.

"Look why don't you talk to Sam? You have a way of dealing with him that I don't." John offered. He was furious at Sam for wandering off this morning, but now the guilt he was feeling for forgetting Dean's birthday was starting to overwhelm him. He also knew how much it hurt both boys when the other was being punished and didn't feel like putting Dean through that at the moment."I'll be outside. When you're done we'll all go out to breakfast, anywhere you want. How does that sound?"

"Good." Dean smiled.

"And Dean."

"Yeah."

"Please explain to your brother that it isn't appropriate for him to take off first thing in the morning by himself. He's eight years old for God's sake."

"I know." Dean said calmly. He watched his father walk out of the motel room. He walked to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

"Go away."

"Come on Sammy it's me."

"I'm not coming out."

"Guess, I'll just have to come in then." Dean dug through his pocket and pulled out a paperclip. He fiddled with the lock for a moment and walked into the bathroom. His entrance startled Sam causing him to jump.

"Whoa, easy there tiger." Dean smiled.

"Where's dad?" Sam asked nervously.

"I told him to wait outside."

"You did?"

"Damn right I did." Dean chuckled. He sat on the edge of the bathtub next to Sam who was seated on top of the toilet.

"What time did you leave this morning?" Dean asked curiously.

"A little after seven I think."

"And you couldn't have taken a jacket?" Dean said feeling Sam 's arms which were freezing. Dean started to rub him on the arms to warm him up.

"I couldn't find my jacket this morning and I didn't want to wake you up. I thought that if I left and was back before you two woke up that dad wouldn't be mad."

"What am I going to do with you kiddo? Dad would be pissed anyway. He would still know you went wandering off by yourself, and right now that's not cool to do. You need to grow up a little first."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted us to do something normal for once. I wanted you to have a real birthday cake, not just a piece of one from a diner with a candle in it. I even had the lady at the store write your name on it."

"Yeah, thanks for that by the way. " Dean smiled.

"I wanted us to have a normal birthday for you and look what happens. Dad has to mess up everything. I hate him."

"No you don't."

"Yes, I do."

"You're just mad at him right now."

"Yeah and he's mad at me too."

"I don't think he's as mad as he is scared. We were both worried about you, with everything we see and do a thousand different things could have happened to you. Man, you can't go taking off like that. You understand?"

"Yes. Hey Dean."

"Yeah.

"You aren't mad at me are you?"

"No."

"But dad still is."

"I told you he's more scared than mad."

"Is he going to spank me? I don't much feel like a spanking this morning."

"Nah, I don't think so."

"How do you know?"

"Well because it's my birthday and I asked him not to."

"You did?"

"Yep, at least until tomorrow that is."

"What?" Sam looked at Dean with genuine concern. He started to cry, and Dean laughed.

"I'm only kidding Sammy. I think dad has some other things on his mind right now. He'll leave you alone, but hopefully you've learned your lesson little brother."

"What's that?"

"Not to go wandering off at freakin'seven in the morning by yourself. I'm serious Sam or next time you won't just have to deal with dad. I can make you cry too you know."

"You can but you won't?" Sam said confidently. He stood up.

"Whatever dude." Dean rolled his eyes and grabbed Sam's hand. He walked him out of the bathroom. "Come on I want some of that German Chocolate Cake, then dad is taking us out to breakfast.

The End

So what did you all think? Please review. Thanks.


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